Yarn carrier



Aug. 19, 1958 E. A. FEUSTEL YARN CARRIER Filed April 9. 1954 L 5 5 Y M w W MMM EH n W10 4 A.

1 E Mm EB United States Patent 2,847,841 YARN CARRIER Ernest A. Feustel, Hasbrouck Heights, N. J. Application April 9, 1954, Serial No. 422,123

s claims. (Cl. 66 -126) This invention relates to a yarn-carrier for full-fashioned hosiery knitting machines and refers more particularly to carriers of the type wherein a fine bore threadguiding tube is removably mounted in a carrier guide or finger.

In the course of the operation of a full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine it sometimes happens that the thread guiding tube strikes the sinkers of the machine andis damaged or broken, and/or damages or breaks the sinkejrs, whereupon it is necessary to stop the machine, remove the tube and insert another one.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks of prior art constructions and to provide a thread carrier finger the tube of which is so mounted that it will not break as a result of impact with a sinker or other object.

A further abject is the provision of a support for a thread guiding tube which will prevent breakage of the tube and/or damage to sinkers in case of impact.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention it was found desirable to provide a thread carrier having a conical slit extending from the lower end of the carrier to an aperture providedtat a curved portion of the carrier. The thread guiding tube is frictionally retained in the lower portion of the slit but may swing within the slit upon impact with a sinker. Thus the danger of breakage of the tube, is effectively avoided. j

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a yarn carrier finger constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the finger.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower portion of the finger.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The yarn carrier finger shown in the drawing has the usual elongated body 11, having a top portion 12, and a curved zone 14. An elongated aperture is located in the curved zone 14. A lower portion consisting of two opposed jaws 16 and 17 extends between the aperture 15 and the lower end 13 of the finger.

As best shown in Figure 4, the jaws 16 and 17 form a conical passage 18 which has its larger width at the aperture 15 and which narrows towards the lower end 13.

It is apparent that the passage 18 may be elliptical, or rectangular in form or may have any other suitable shape. The important feature of the passage 18 is that its diameter at the lower end 13 is sufiicient to hold frictionally a tube 20 while the upper part of the tube 20 is free to swing within the passage 18.

The tube 20 has an upper head 21 which is located within the recess 15 and which is provided with convex undersurfaces 22to facilitate the swinging of the tube.

The lower end of the tube 20 extends below the lower end 13 of the finger 11. Preferably the tube 20 is rovided with a flange portion 24 which is located in engagement with or close to the lower edges of the passage 18. The tube 20 may be easily and conveniently placed within the finger 11 by spreading somewhat the jaws 16 and1'7. Furthermore, should as a result of constructional errors the passage 18 not provide sufiicient engagement for the tube 20, the flange 24 may be fitted within the lower end of the passage 18 so as to provide a better fit.

The lower end of the tube 20 may also be provided with a circumferential undercut 25 which functions in the event the impact with a sinker or other body is too, great to permit the withdrawal of the tube from the impact. In that unusual circumstance the tube 20 will be sheared olf at the undercut portion 25. The tube wilLnot be bent and it will not damage the finger 11. Thus the operation of the machine will not be impaired.

Another arrangement for facilitating the swinging of the tube in case of impact is described and claimed in the copending application Serial Number 422,122 filed April 9, 1954. a g

It is apparent that the'exampl'e shown above has been given by way of exemplification and not by 'way of lii'nitation and that it is subject to many variations and modifications without departing from the scope or intent of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

j 1. A thread carrier for knitting machines, comprising an elongated fiat body having a top portion, a lower portion anda curved zone betw'een said portions, an elongated aperture formed in said curved zone, said lower portion having a lower end and consisting of two bifurcated jaws tapering to said lower end and having opposed converging edges of complementary configuration, whereby a slot is formed between "said edges which communicates with said aperture, which is wider adjacent said aperture than at said lower end and which tapers froins'aid aperture to said lower end; and a thread guiding tube having an intermediate portion of uniform cross-sectional dimensions located in said slot and frictionally retained by a lower portion of said edges of the jaws, said thread guiding tube having an upper portion which is devoid of contact with said edges and a lower portion projecting beyond said lower end, whereby said tube is swingable out of its position within the slot upon impact of the lower portion thereof with a part of the machine.

2. A thread carrier for knitting machines, comprising an elongated flat body having a top portion, a lower portion and a curved zone between said portions, an elongated aperture formed in said curved zone, said lower portion having a lower end and consisting of two bifurcated jaws tapering to said lower end and having opposed converging edges of complementary configuration, whereby a slot is formed between said edges which communicates with said aperture, which is wider adjacent said aperture than at said lower end and which tapers from said aperture to said lower end, and a thread guiding tube having a head located within said aperture and having a rounded undersurface contacting an underlying surface of said aperture, said tube further having a tubular portion of uniform cross-sectional dimensions located within said slot and a lower portion projecting beyond said lower end, said tubular portion being frictionally retained by a lower portion of said edges of the jaws, and having an upper portion which is devoid of contact with said edges, whereby said tube is swingable out of its posi- .3 tion within the slot upon impact of the lower portion thereof with a part of the machine.

3. A thread carrier for knitting machines, comprising an elongated flat body having a top portion, a lower portion and a curved zone between said portions, an elongated aperture formed in said curved zone and having a curved undersurface, said lower portion having a lower end and consisting of two bifurcated jaws tapering to said lower end and having opposed converging edges of complementary configuration, whereby a slot is formed between said edges which communicates with said aperture, which is wider adjacent said aperture than at said lower end and which tapers from said aperture to said lower end, and a thread guiding tube having a head located within said aperture and having a rounded undersurface contacting said curved undersurface of the aperture, said tube further having a tubular portion of uniform cross-sectional dimensions located within said slot and a lower portion projecting beyond said lower end, said tubular portion being frictionally retained by a lower portion of said edges of the jaws, and having an upper portion which is devoid of contact with said edges, whereby said tube is swingable out of its position within the slot upon impact of the lower portion thereof with a part of the machine while the rounded undersurface of the head carries out a rolling movement upon said curved undersurface of the aperture.

4. A thread carrier for knitting machines, comprising an elongated flat body having a top portion, a lower portion and a curved zone between said portions, an elongated aperture formed in said curved zone, said lower portion having a lower end and consisting of two bifurcated jaws tapering to said lower end and having opposed converging edges of complementary configuration, whereby a slot is formed between said edges which communicates with said aperture, which is wider adjacent said aperture than at said lower end and which tapers from said aperture to said lower end, and a thread guiding tube having a fine-bore tubular body and a head integral with said body and located within said aperture, said head having a convex flange surface adjacent the outer surface of said tubular body and contacting an underlying surface of said aperture, said head further having an inner outwardly flaring bore constituting a continuation of the bore of said tubular body, said tubular body having an intermediate portion of uniform crosssectional dimensions located within said slot and a lower portion projecting beyond said lower end, said intermediate portion being frictionally retained by a lower portion of said edges of the jaws, and having an upper portion which is devoid of contact with said edges, whereby said tube is swingable out of its position within the slot upon impact of the lower portion thereof with a part of the machine while said flange surface of the head carries out a rolling movement upon said underlying surface of the aperture.

5. A thread carrier for knitting machines, comprising an elongated flat body having a top portion, a lower portion and a curved zone between said portions, an elongated aperture formed in said curved zone, said lower portion having a lower end and consisting of two bifurcated jaws tapering to said lower end and having opposed converging edges of complementary configuration, whereby a slot is formed between said edges which communicates with said aperture, which is wider adjacent said aperture than at said lower end and which tapers from said aperture to said lower end, and a thread guiding tube having a fine-bore tubular body and a head integral with said body and located within said aperture, said tubular body having an intermediate portion of uniform cross-sectional dimensions located within said slot, a lower portion projecting beyond said lower end and an annular curved rim portion between said intermediate portion and said lower portion and contacting said lower end,

said lower portion having a transversely undercut portion thereon, said intermediate portion being frictionally retained by a lower portion of said edges of the jaws, and having an upper portion which is devoid of contact with said edges, whereby said tube is swingable out of its position within the slot upon impact of the lower portion thereof with a part of the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,675,556 Howie July 3, 1928 2,076,751 Thierfelder Apr. 13, 1937 2,162,107 Newton June 13, 1939 2,206,212 Wainwright July 2, 1940 2,432,304 Friedmann Dec. 9, 1947 2,464,664 Amon Mar. 15, 1949 2,555,920 Curry June 5, 1951 2,569,904 Schmidt Oct. 2, 1951 2,600,935 Spindler June 17, 1952, 2,640,664 Porter June 2, 1953 

